Ever notice that when you buy something for someone else your feel much better than when you buy something for yourself? Michael Norton did and took a closer look:
At TEDxCambridge, Michael Norton shares fascinating research on how money can, indeed buy happiness — when you don’t spend it on yourself. Listen for surprising data on the many ways pro-social spending can benefit you, your work, and (of course) other people.
See for yourself what he found out in his TED Talk here. Spending money on ourselves merely serves to isolate us and doesn’t increase our happiness. The exception would be those who are self-centered narcissists, who will fail to see any value in this idea. But for the rest of us, spending money on others, any amount, causes a big increase in our own happiness. This is powerful.
Now imagine what this would mean not only for individuals, but for local government, public policy and corporations?
It doesn’t matter how you spend money on someone else – it only matters that you spend it on someone else. Why not be strategic and spend your money in a way that permanently improves the lives of others?
Become a friend of Mary’s Pence and automatically donate a monthly amount of your choice. Mary’s Pence ESPERA Funds create community lending pools that permanently improve the lives of women in an entire community.
